• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 10 December 2003

That is not for you to say.

• Question by: Eric Ollerenshaw
• Meeting date: 10 December 2003

Eric Ollerenshaw (AM): It is a pity I cannot ask you to comment on Nicky Gavron's or Simon Hughes' proposals for youth, because obviously we do not know them and they do not exist yet. But at least we might be prepared to admit that Steve Norris, the Conservative candidate who now seems to be fascinating the Labour benches, has some positive proposals in terms of a key issue, which you have acknowledged and indeed Sir John has acknowledged. Even though I think it is a bit unwise for him to comment on what the Mayoral candidates are saying to...

• Question by: Noel Lynch
• Meeting date: 10 December 2003

Noel Lynch (AM): In your opening remarks you mentioned the TV images and the predominance of attacks on older people, when in actual fact it is most towards young people. Of course, the problem now is that over 50% of over 75s are afraid to leave their houses because they are afraid of getting attacked. What can you do to allay their fears?

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 10 December 2003

Graham Tope (AM): Perhaps I may direct this at Sir John as well. The LSE and South Bank University study on Policing for London found that dissatisfaction with the police was greatest amongst the young. They said that their `focus groups brought out the intensity with which many young people see police activity as biased against them and based on negative stereotypes of youth'. What is being done to address that perception? More particularly, where do children and young people fit into models of community-based policing that we are hoping to move towards?

• Question by: Diana Johnson
• Meeting date: 10 December 2003

Diana Johnson (AM): It is about the Cadet Corps. As the link member for Havering, Barking and Dagenham I have been very impressed by their Cadet Corps. What do you think is the future for the Cadet Corps?

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 10 December 2003

• Question by: Diana Johnson
• Meeting date: 10 December 2003

Diana Johnson (AM): I am interested to hear about partnership working. I know that one of the Mayoral candidates, Steve Norris, is talking about the Met becoming a youth work agency. I wonder what your views are on that because it seems to me that may not actually be the best way forward to engage with young people.

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 10 December 2003

Who should he contact?

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 10 December 2003

Angie Bray (AM): Recently I visited a small out-of-hours, non-contact boxing class organised by a former Olympic boxer. It struck me that what he was doing was totally wonderful. He had a class full of enthusiastic girls and boys of all ages. The great thing was that because he was sufficiently charismatic they were all willing and wanted to go to his class. He was then able to keep an eye on other issues like problems with learning, diet and so on. It struck me that it did not really cost anything. He just needed a little bit of equipment...

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 10 December 2003

Graham Tope (AM): I did want to concentrate today on young people as victims of crime. Every London borough has amongst its top three priorities dealing with anti-social behaviour and whilst that is a priority in every borough it does tend to reinforce the stereotype, the image of young people as the perpetrators and as the problem and does not adequately recognise that more often they are the victims. In terms of talking and working with young people, one of the objectives in the MPS youth strategy is to provide an environment for young people who are victims or witnesses...